


Rite of Ascension

by Mr_Crocodile



Series: On the shoulders of Titans [9]
Category: Godzilla - All Media Types
Genre: AU, China, Cults, Gen, Kaiju, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Religion, Religious Fanaticism, Yunnan - Freeform, alternative history
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29467323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mr_Crocodile/pseuds/Mr_Crocodile
Summary: The time has come for a new Priestess to ascend and join the ranks of the most faithful amongst the children of Mothra.
Series: On the shoulders of Titans [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990825
Comments: 10
Kudos: 11





	Rite of Ascension

**Author's Note:**

> New fic, this time we take our first look at one of the many new cults and cultures born during the age of Kaiju

**21st of June, 2006/May 25, Bing Xu Year** **  
****Queen’s Palace Province, Holy Queendom of Yunnan**

Lihua was ready for her big day, which wasn’t a surprise, she had been preparing for it to arrive since Priestess Wu had found her and gave her life a meaning 11 years ago.

She had donned her robes (made from pure Silk as tradition demanded) with the help of her two assistants while she recited her words, her oaths, to herself. After all the months of preparation she could have even recited them backwards and with alternative words, but even the shortest and hardest to notice stutter of mistakes from her would do a great dishonour to their benevolent queen, and Lihua would never forgive herself for the slight.

But she was ultimately ready. Priestess Wu had drilled her diligently. Lihua had learned writing and reading using The Queen’s 100 Edicts and the Collected Teachings of the Ancient Priestesses, she had carried out her schooling on Pu’er’s temple complex. She had prepared her entire life for the honour that today carried.

She was ready.

Once her assistants had finished applying her face paint, she was escorted by her Huángfēng honour guard outside, where the procession to the Great Temple of the Moth, the very heart of the Shèng É Jiào, with Priestess Wu at its head, was awaiting for her.

Lihua noted sourly that there were motorized vehicles in the ensemble. As edict 57 read, _“The poisoning of the natural ways of the world shall always be prevented, avoided and fought.”_ That was why, soon after the hated Red Menace had been defeated by the Queen’s brothers in Beijing, the Shobijin had ordered all foul “factories” within the Yún Hòu Shèng Guó destroyed in the name of the Queen.

But the second edict also read that _“The pursuit of good overrides all other edicts”_ meaning that the Huángfēng and the Queen’s Armies had been allowed to keep their venomous machines (and a few factories for their upkeep) to defend the Yunnanese people. A contingent of said machines were evenly spread throughout the large mass of horse carriages, consecrated elephants and the hundreds of members of the lesser priesthood who would be present for the ceremony. Hundreds more representing all other aspects and authorities within the queendom, bureaucrats and community leaders from all four corners of the Queendom.

All of them, there... _For her_.

For her Ascension.

She was, as protocol demanded, taken to High Priestess Wu’s open carriage so they could travel together to the High Temple.

Lady Wu was a beautiful woman, her pale, unblemished skin and fine features only made more beautiful by the array of finely applied makeups she wore with the confidence natural to one of her station.

After their formal greetings, the priestess gave the order to commence their march, their carriage pulled by eight horses setting the pace. The silence between them was a comfortable one; they were used to it, they had spent many long hours together in silent and diligent study within the women's chambers, and the many songs and chants being played by the many artists and priestesses in their entourage certainly made sure that the air was brimming with energy.

“I’m proud of you.” Mó sī lā Wu smiled at her one hour into their procession. They would be arriving at the temple soon. 

“You have flourished and will soon hold one of the most prestigious positions amongst our people.” The woman continued, and Lihua hoped that the jewelry and markings she had been adorned with were covering her blush. Her Lady was a strict woman and only gave praise when it was truly deserved.

“Although…” The woman now fully turned to face her and gently took hold of her apprentice's chin, lifting it so they could look each other eye-to-eye. “As prestigious as being the High Priestess of Guizhou will be, I hope that you understand why that is and the… hardships that you will be facing.”

“Yes my lady… I… I have heard the gossip about High Priestess Meilin… She was…”

“ _Murdered_. She was murdered, my young one.” Lady Wu finished sharply, her knuckles growing white as she grabbed the carriage’s railing and her eyes turned into pools of anger.

“Those savages still believe in the old ways of the Red Menace and their steel governments. But do not worry, by the time all of the initiation rituals are done and you head towards your new home, the rebellion and the culprits will both have been long dealt with.” The woman reassured her, still holding her chin.

Lihua gulped and tried to quell her nerves. She failed that task, but managed to hide them behind a sufficiently convincing smile. 

She _had_ heard about the demise of Lady Meilin from the other apprentices in Pu’er; some had claimed that she had been assaulted when travelling via carriage, while others argued in favour of the theory that one of her temples had been assaulted during a ceremony.

But the point was that the woman who Lihua was replacing had been murdered by non-believers, that her… her _mutilated_ body had been sent to the Shobijin as a “warning.”

Lady Mó sī lā Wu, High Priestess of the Hòu Yuán Shěn, only outranked by the Queen herself and her twin heralds amongst the people, was not a woman who allowed her emotions to control her. That simply wasn’t a possibility for someone of her station. Lihua had known that for a long time, probably since she had still been a babe under the woman’s care. And that was why when the woman grabbed her shoulder and smiled reassuringly at her, she felt calm and confident for the first time in the weeks, for the first time since she had learned that it had been _her_ who was chosen to succeed Mó sī lā Meilin as High Priestess of Guizhou.

“You are the brightest and most well prepared of your generation Lihua, and you’ve studied under the best tutors available to us. I have utmost confidence in your skills and abilities. Why else would we, the high council, have agreed on electing you?” The woman asked rhetorically. “In the name of the Queen, I wouldn’t be surprised if Guizhou went on to become a truly peaceful land under your guidance!” She continued to praise. 

She was so embarrassed that she instinctively covered her face and tried to sink into her cushioned seat. _So improper for them to have such an informal conversation! And even more so for her to react in such a childish way!_

But now she had bigger things to worry about, for they had arrived at their destination.

Hidden amongst the dense jungles of southern Yunnan stood the heart and soul of the Children of the Moth: The Temple of the Moth, a colossal pyramid carved out of limestone and marble, beautifully decorated with carvings depicting the Theology and lore of her people and covered in a swath of well-kept and breathtakingly varied plantlife, each level of the pyramid seemed to hold a completely unique and self-contained jungle. And as one should expect, the air was brimming with the Queen’s most loyal subjects, thousands upon thousands of moths, each as unique as a snowflake.

A few hundred started flying towards the procession to greet them, a dozen making themselves comfortable on her headdress and robes. She couldn't contain her smile, she had only once before been to the Great Temple, for the ascension of Lady Xiu, and it was as enchanting as it had been the first time.

But with that, the rites commenced, so many and so complex and nuanced that at least two had to be fulfilled for every level they ascended. She drank water from every province. She swore her oaths in every language spoken in the land, and was gifted and given so many symbols and amulets that they physically weighed her down. New symbols, with powerful meanings, drawn on her skin and sewn into her robes.

But finally, after the long and arduous climb, she reached the Queen’s throne, flanked by her ever young twin-envoys, the Shobijin. 

And most importantly.

The Queen.

Mothra, the Great Protector, the All-Queen, her colossal and gracile form perched on top of the structure like that of a bird of prey, her six legs stabbing into the rock at evenly spaced grooves. Her shape was an astoundingly beautiful array of sharp-edged chitin shining with the colours of mother of pearl. 

But Lihua barely noticed that, no, it was the Queen’s wings which took her breath away.

Hundreds of meters long from one tip to the other, they glowed with the intensity of the sun and simultaneously the ephemeral beauty of a candle. The colours, greens, blues and pinks constantly change position and brightness, like a sea of stars being rocked by the waves. The view stole her breath, she had before seen the Queen in flight, patrolling her dominion, but never even a tenth this closely or this bright. 

The Queen, noticing their arrival, rose from her seat, stretching her scythe-like legs and batting her wings. The resulting winds buffeted them and unleashed a cloud of rainbow-like mist from the queen’s wings, bathing them all in a cloud of glittering pollen.

Lihua knelt, as did all others, no matter their standing.

The Queen had protected them during the old regime’s collapse, she had gifted them for decades with bening weathers and bountiful harvests. More blessings than what could feasibly be numbered or paid back for.

And the thought of becoming her envoy amongst those who refused to _kneel_ and bask in the glory of her majesty, those who did not want to understand the greatness of the old Gods and ancient ways filled twelve year old Lihua’s heart with an endless pool of pride.

That day she would leave the temple no longer an orphan child. She would leave as Mosura Lihua, High Priestess of Guizhou.

And as she basked in the light and smells, as she was enraptured by Mothra's songs, as she enjoyed the pure unadulterated feeling of calmness which the Queen’s presence incited in the faithful, she found herself not having a single one of her old-self’s fears and insecurities.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, here's the [Link](https://forms.gle/sbMyGVk4fEM64oVq8) to the poll I will be using to decide what the next instalment of this series will be!
> 
> For those interested, soon after posting this chapter the Map annex will be getting an update regarding the Queendom.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the story and I honestly appreciate all and any kudos or comments you may be gracious enough to gift me! You can even suggest other possible settings and Kaiju in the comments ;)  
> (And a big thanks to my friend Areias on the A Thing Of Vikings Discord server for helping me with the Chinese language used in this story)


End file.
